The San Antonio Spurs announced that today in practice Tiago Splitter suffered a strained right plantaris muscle.

Splitter will undergo a seven-to-ten day rehabilitation program after which a timeline for his return will be determined.

viaInsidehoops

It would have been nice to see how Tiago progressed through training camp, but we aren't going to get that opportunity due to the fact that he will be sitting for most of it. Hope he can recover well for the season.

"Plantaris strain. The plantaris is a thin muscle that begins at the lower end of the femur (the large bone of the upper leg), stretches across the knee joint and attaches to the back of the heel along with the Achilles tendon. Because the plantaris doesn't contribute much force in bending the knee, a tear in this muscle may not seriously affect your knee function. However, a severe plantaris strain can cause significant pain, usually at the back of your calf rather than near the knee. A plantaris strain can occur alone or accompany a gastrocnemius strain or a tear of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), a major, stabilizing ligament in the knee."

"Most Grade I or Grade II strains begin to feel better within a few days. In most cases, symptoms are either totally gone, or very much improved, within eight to 10 weeks. Symptoms of a Grade III strain may persist until the torn muscle is repaired surgically."